Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-06-15

woman with the tiller IN one hand, the
sheet i'm the other, seemed perfectly
able TO manage the boat, and Rob sat
in silent admiration of the skill which
kept the boat 50 we'll before the wind,
yet always avoiding the break of any
wave.
Frank had seen all this from the
shore, and now he climbed up the cliff
the better to watch the Star as she rose
and fell ON the waves, throwing off the
water from her bows in columns of
foam.
"She is an out-and-out racer. am
glad am not in her." was what he
said; but deep in his heart were feel
ings which no one would have envied;
he would, indeed, have been misera-
bic boy as he sat watching the lessening
sail, had it not been that in admiration
for Rob's pluck all thought of himself
was drowned.
"Who would have thought il of Robp
Why, the fellows treat him as if he
were part grill / don't understand it
10 60 willingly over that frightful bar
when only this morning he was afraid
of it! Rob is really timid, and yet he
will do very dangerous thing if any
good can come out of it; but do risky
things just for fun and because get
going and don't know they are risky
till they are done, and. half the time
harm comes of them to some one, if not
to myself"
Puzzling over these differences in
people, he tired his eyes in the strain
of watching the swift little Star, and
the dancing speck towards which she
was being steered.
Time went on and on, still the dis
lance between them hardly seemed to
lessen; it was not till the hull of the
Star was lost to his sigh. shat Frank
realized how far out the woman's kqss
had gone. He could distinctly SEQ
when they reached it, and then he re-
membered, with sudden pang, that
they must cross the bar once more to
get in.
at won't be for some time yet, how
ever. They must tack so much with
this wind, think it will be near high
tide before they reach the bar"
Another hour-endless it seemed to
Frank-passed before he could intelli-
gently follow their movements, and
when he could, the Star was coming
shorewards with the other boat in tow.
Alone though he was, Frank sprang
to his feet and gave cheer after cheer
for Rob, for the Star, for the woman
even, and, tired of inactivity, busted
himself in collecting driftwood to make
fire in order to welcome the travellers
with proper warmth.
II may as well make coffee and cook
ham, they will be hungry as well as
cold" thought Frank. So leaving the
shore he went some distance inland to
get water from a spring, and when he
returned with pot full what was his
joy to see the Star very near at hand.
His preparations were barely ended
when he saw Rob lisc to lever the sail
and the woman make ready to scull.
Frank saw the boat rise boldly on the
top of breaking wave; her bow dis
appeared under a cataract of foam,
then rose again. 1t was evidently
easier to come in than go out; but it
was dangerous enough still, all the
more as behind them was the clumsy
hulk for which they seemed to have
ventured 50 much. The Star shook and
trembled under the woman's powerful
strokes, but she passed in safety
through the second line of breakers
and once more rode in peace.
Slowly now and quietly the rowers
came toward the shore. When the Star
was near enough Frank rushed into the
water and with Rob's aid soon had
beached her above the flow of the
waves.
Rob leaped out, and the woman, who
had been for moment or so STOPPING
over the bottom of the boat, rose to her
feet with n large bundle in her arms.
As she stepped ashore Franks aston
ished eyes behcld in the bundle-whatP
a sleeping baby!
Rob screamed with laughter ut the
sight of Franks bewildcrcd face.
THAT is what she was so crazy about
not her boat!'
YES" said Rob, "thc child was in
il. She must have left it loosely fas-
tened while she went shrimping, and
the child and boat were carried out
by this wind and the falling tide. l
thought she would go mad as we drew
near her boat and 1 couldn't make her
out ut all, for / did not dream of this
you know, and when we got quite up
to it, there in the bottom was the baby,
broad awake, and it looked up and
laughed when it saw its mother"
20 Rob, Rob, how glad ! am that
you went! You have saved its life, 1
know you have"
Impetuous Frank gave his brother
hearty hug, while the smiling mother
looked as if she would like to give him
another Youths Companion.